The present invention relates generally to fuel tank systems, and more particularly to a motor grader side mount fuel tank system. The motor grader side mount fuel tank system is designed to allow the installation of an air-to-air aftercooler onto a motor grader without requiring the lengthening of a rear frame of the motor grader.
In the past, a rear frame was lengthened in order to accommodate additional equipment or fuel capacity on a motor grader. The lengthened rear frame required additional reinforcements to prevent additional frame flex. A ripper assembly would also have to be redesigned to accommodate the lengthened frame. Weight distribution is critical on the motor grader, so that lengthening the rear frame and adding additional equipment, such as an air-to-air aftercooler, would add weight behind a rear axle. In addition, moving equipment such as the ripper assembly further rearward reduces its effectiveness in accomplishing its intended purpose. Adding additional weight behind the rear axle would require more counterweights at the front, and would increase the overall weight of the motor grader.
The present invention is directed to overcoming one or more of the problems or disadvantages associated with the prior art.
In one aspect of the present invention, a side mount fuel tank system is provided for an earth moving vehicle such as a motor grader. The side mount fuel tank system includes a support apparatus and a fuel tank apparatus. The fuel tank apparatus includes a first fuel tank, a second fuel tank, and a fuel sump tank.
The fuel tank system has a first mounting structure attached to a first side of a vehicle, a second mounting structure attached to a second side of the vehicle, a first fuel tank attached to the first mounting structure, a second fuel tank attached to the second mounting structure, and a fuel filler apparatus for filling the first fuel tank and the second fuel tank with fuel.
A motor grader incorporating the invention would include a rear frame with a plurality of wheels attached to the rear frame, an engine compartment attached to the rear frame, and a side mount fuel tank system attached to the rear frame which includes a first fuel tank positioned along a first side of the engine compartment and above the plurality of wheels, and a second fuel tank positioned along a second side of the engine compartment and above the plurality of wheels.